September 11, 2001 : Attack on AmericaHR 3054 True American Heroes Act (Introduced in the House); October 5, 2001

True American Heroes Act (Introduced in the House)

HR 3054 IH

107th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3054

To award congressional gold medals on behalf of the officers, emergency workers, and other employees of the Federal Government and any State or local government, including any interstate governmental entity, who responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and perished in the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 5, 2001

Mr. KING (for himself and Mrs. MALONEY of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

To award congressional gold medals on behalf of the officers, emergency workers, and other employees of the Federal Government and any State or local government, including any interstate governmental entity, who responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and perished in the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `True American Heroes Act'.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDALS.

(a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED- In recognition of the bravery and self-sacrifice of officers, emergency workers, and other employees of State and local government agencies, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and of the United States Government, who responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, and perished in the tragic events of September 11, 2001 (including those who are missing and presumed dead), the President is authorized to present, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design for each such officer, emergency worker, or employee to the next of kin or other representative of each such officer, emergency worker, or employee.

(b) DESIGN AND STRIKING- For purposes of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall strike gold medals with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary to be emblematic of the valor and heroism of the men and women honored.

(c) DETERMINATION OF RECIPIENTS- The Secretary of the Treasury shall determine the number of medals to be presented under this section and the appropriate recipients of the medals after consulting with appropriate representatives of Federal, State, and local officers and agencies and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

(d) PRESENTMENT CEREMONY- The President shall consult with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the majority leader and the minority leader of the House of Representatives, and the majority leader and the minority leader of the Senate with regard to the ceremony for presenting the gold medals under subsection (a).

SEC. 3. DUPLICATIVE GOLD MEDALS FOR DEPARTMENTS AND DUTY STATIONS.

(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of the Treasury shall strike duplicates in gold of the gold medals struck pursuant to section 2 for presentation to each of the following:

(1) The Governor of the State of New York.

(2) The Mayor of the City of New York.

(3) The Commissioner of the New York Police Department, the Commissioner of the New York Fire Department, the head of emergency medical services for the City of New York, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

(4) Each precinct house, fire house, emergency response station, or other duty station or place of employment to which each person referred to in section 2(a) was assigned on September 11, 2001, for display in each such place in a manner befitting the memory of such persons.

(b) DETERMINATION OF RECIPIENTS- The Secretary of the Treasury shall determine the number of medals to be presented under this section and the appropriate recipients of the medals after consulting with appropriate representatives of Federal, State, and local officers and agencies and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

SEC. 4. DUPLICATE BRONZE MEDALS.

The Secretary of the Treasury may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price of $50 per medal.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL MEDALS.

The medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.

SEC. 6. PROCEEDS OF SALE.

Amounts received from the sales of duplicate bronze medals under section 4 shall be deposited in a fund to be used to erect a memorial for the fallen emergency responders.

SEC. 7. USE OF THE UNITED STATES MINT AT WEST POINT, NEW YORK.

It is the sense of the Congress that the medals authorized under this Act should--

(1) be designed, struck, and presented not more than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(2) be struck at the United States Mint at West Point, New York, to the greatest extent possible.